Larb is traditionally made with ground meat, but this version uses tofu, and stuffing the larb into roasted whole kūmara makes it a filling main.

Words: Recipe extracted from Good Vibes by Alby Hailes

hands-on time 55 mins
total time 1 hour 15 mins
serves 4 as a main

INGREDIENTS

300g glutinous rice
4 orange kūmara (about 300g each)
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, end trimmed, very thinly sliced
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 red chilli, finely chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lime
finely grated zest of ½ orange
300g firm tofu, drained
1 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp gluten-free light soy sauce
freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes
freshly squeezed juice of ½ orange
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 spring onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
1 large handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
1 large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
1 large handful Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve

Crispy shallots:
60ml canola oil
4 small shallots, sliced as thinly as possible (on a mandoline)

METHOD

Larb is traditionally made with ground meat, but this version uses tofu, and stuffing the larb into roasted whole kūmara makes it a filling main.

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (or 220°C conventional). Line a large oven tray with baking paper.

To start the sticky rice, place 250g of the glutinous rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.

Next, roast the kūmara. Place the whole kūmara on the oven tray and prick each one a few times with a fork. Roast for 55–60 minutes or until a knife goes easily through the flesh. Carefully cut the roasted kūmara down the centre lengthways, two-thirds of the way through so the bases remain intact. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to cook the sticky rice, drain the rice and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add three kaffir lime leaves and 375ml cold water.

Cover the saucepan with a lid, place over high heat and bring to the boil. As soon as the rice is bubbling vigorously, reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for 12 minutes. Do NOT remove the lid during the cooking process. Remove from the heat and leave the rice to stand, with the lid still on, for 10 minutes.

For the crispy shallots, heat the canola oil in a small–medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 12–15 minutes, using a spatula to separate the rings as they cook and tossing occasionally, until a deep golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, spreading them out to drain and crisp as they cool.

For the tofu larb, toast the remaining rice in a frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden. Use a mortar and pestle to grind the rice to a slightly coarse powder. Heat the coconut oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Finely slice the remaining two kaffir lime leaves and add to the pan with the shallot, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chilli, lime zest and orange zest and fry for a minute. Crumble the tofu into the pan, add the salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the tofu is lightly browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice and brown sugar. Add 4 tbsp of the dressing to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to coat the tofu and absorb all of the liquid. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining dressing, spring onion, chopped herbs and ground rice. Stir through to combine. Taste and add more lime juice, sea salt or chilli as desired.

To serve, place the warm kūmara on plates and spoon a generous amount of the tofu larb down the centre of each. Sprinkle with the crispy shallots and extra chopped herbs, and serve with sticky rice.

Vegan option: Use vegan fish sauce or more light soy sauce in place of regular fish sauce.

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Recipes extracted from Good Vibes by Alby Hailes (HarperCollins NZ, HB, RRP $55) Photography credit: Aaron McLean.